December 9, 2003
Gretchen Cook-Anderson
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone: 202/358-0836)
Kimberly W. Land
Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va.
(Phone 757/864-9885)
RELEASE: 03-399
NASA MULTIMEDIA SERIES SET TO INSPIRE HISPANIC YOUTH
Hoping to enhance the future U.S. scientific work force, NASA is
launching Noticiencias NASA™, a new program under the agency's
Hispanic Education Initiative.
Designed for students in grades K-5, Noticiencias NASA™, is a
Spanish-language, research-inquiry, standards-based, and
technology-focused educational program. Noticiencias NASA™ uses
the Internet, animation and video. It will introduce a rising
population of young Hispanics to the world of science, technology,
engineering, mathematics, NASA missions and research.
According to the U.S. Department of Education National Center for
Education Statistics, Hispanics are the fastest growing sector of the
school-age population, the work force of tomorrow. It is projected in
25 years; one in every four children in U.S. elementary schools will
be Hispanic.
Noticiencias NASA™ features Hispanic students explaining
science, technology, engineering, mathematics and NASA facts to other
children in an entertaining and instructional format. The one-minute
video programs explain everyday phenomena, correct misconceptions,
and answer frequently asked questions about the Earth and space. The
program also uses animated characters (for grades K-2). The
coordinating Web site offers detailed written explanations, hands-on
activities, resources and computer-graded quizzes.
Topics range from, "Why do astronauts float in space?" and, "Did you
know NASA's Odyssey spacecraft found water ice under the surface of
Mars?" to "What is nanotechnology?" and "How does the Internet work?"
"It is our hope these programs will inspire kids to pursue careers in
the engineering and science fields," said Ivelisse Gilman, manager of
the Hispanic Education Initiative at NASA's Langley Research Center
(LaRC), Hampton, Va. The Hispanic Education Initiative is an outreach
effort designed to address the serious shortage of Hispanic men and
women in these fields. "We are striving to bolster students' learning
potential as well as address a critical aspect of maintaining
leadership in science and engineering in the 21st century," Gilman
added.
Noticiencias NASA™ is sponsored by NASA's Office of Biology &
Physical Research (OBPR) and produced by LaRC for Distance Learning.
According to Bonnie McClain, OBPR chief of education, statistics
indicate participation by Hispanics in the scientific labor force
continues to trail behind other ethnic groups. Hispanic students take
fewer mathematics, science, and technology courses. OBPR is pleased
to support this programming, designed to pique the interest of young
people, motivate them to find out more about science, math, and
technology, and to help overcome lack of participation by Hispanic
students.
LaRC for Distance Learning produces five award-winning, educational
programs in English and Spanish: NASA's Kids Science News
Network™, NASA SCI Files™, NASA CONNECT™, NASA
LIVE™ and NASA's Destination Tomorrow™.
For information about the Noticiencias NASA™ multimedia series,
on the Internet, visit:
http://ksnnsp.larc.nasa.gov
For NASA Web sites in Spanish on the Internet, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/En_Espanol.html
For information about NASA education programs on the Internet, visit:
http://education.nasa.gov
For information about NASA and agency programs on the Internet, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov
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